Nature Study Indicates Agricultural Biologicals are Vital to Soil Carbon Capture and Storage
Why Microbes are the Leading Factor for Soil Carbon Sequestration
Microbes are the most valuable player (MVP) in global efforts to capture and store soil carbon efficiently and effectively, according to a global-scale study published in Nature. The multi-year study indicates that creating permanent carbon capture in regenerative agriculture should include the use of microbial-based products, such as biologicals.
The study is called “Microbial carbon use efficiency promotes global soil carbon storage”. It was led by Dr. Yiqi Luo, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, and Dr. Xiaomeng Huang at Tsinghua University in China. Research quantified the relative importance of microbial processes in determining how much carbon is stored in the soil.
Specifically, researchers determined that microbial carbon use efficiency is at least four times more important than any other process in the soil carbon cycle when it comes to carbon storage.
These findings confirm what many experts in the agriculture industry have known for years—that microbes are key players in the quantity and quality of carbon stored in soil. This is in addition to the significant benefits they bring to crop performance and grower return on investment (ROI).
Read on to learn:
- How Microbes Capture More Soil Carbon in Agriculture
- Benefits of Soil Carbon Sequestration for Crops
- Which Carbon Farming Program Uses Biologicals to Sequester Carbon and Boost Yields
How Microbes Capture More Soil Carbon in Agriculture
Scientists have long known about the crucial role microbes play in soil organic carbon (SOC) formation, preservation, and loss—but researchers in the Nature study made a breakthrough discovery on the importance of microbial growth in ensuring permanent soil carbon capture.
To analyze soil carbon data, the researchers measured microbial carbon use efficiency. Microbial carbon use efficiency indicates how much carbon was used by microbes for growth versus how much was used for metabolism.
When used for growth purposes, carbon becomes sequestered by microbes in the soil. When used for metabolic purposes, however, it is released into the air as the potent greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2).
The Nature study’s data revealed that the growth of microbes is more important than metabolism in determining how much carbon is stored in the soil. Microbial carbon use efficiency is at least four times more important than any other soil process, including decomposition and carbon inputs.
These findings have major implications for agriculture’s role in soil carbon capture permanence. And because soil carbon has a positive impact on soil vitality and crop performance, it indicates that microbial-based biologicals have the potential to revive a degraded agroecosystem.
Benefits of Soil Carbon Sequestration for Crops
Regenerative agriculture practices come in many different forms; but they all share a common goal: to restore soil organic carbon (SOC) through increased carbon capture and storage.
Higher SOC concentrations are shown to:
- Improve soil structure and decrease erosion
- Increase water infiltration and soil water retention
- Increase soil nutrient storage
- Increase crop vitality and performance
- Increase food quality
- Decrease non-point source pollution
All of this leads to higher yields and profitability, and ultimately benefit the health of the whole society.
Some microbes are shown to preserve more carbon, thus increasing SOC concentrations in soil. This means that farmers can use microbial-based biologicals as an effective way to reap the benefits of these powerful microbes. When formulated with the right strains of microbes, agricultural biologicals can unlock nutrient availability, strengthen root systems, and increase SOC stocks present in the soil.
In combination with other farm management techniques, the use of biologicals can help increase soil carbon sequestration. This brings significant advantages to both crop productivity and the greater agroecosystem. That is why soil carbon sequestering practices are being increasingly incentivized for farmers in carbon farming programs.
CarbonNOW® – First Carbon Farming Program to Use Microbial-Based Biologicals
Agricultural soils have the potential to sequester up to 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions associated with human activities. With the potential to positively impact global climate change, carbon farming programs encourage (and often require) the use of carbon-sequestering practices to participate. Most carbon farming programs are based on practice changes such as implementing cover crops, reducing tillage or integrating grazing.
Locus Agriculture’s CarbonNOW® is the first US carbon farming program to use biologicals as an approved practice change for grower eligibility. With precision-targeted microbial strains, Locus AG biologicals are proven to accelerate soil carbon sequestration, increase yields and boost grower ROI.
In addition to a guaranteed annual payment of $12 per acre, farmers enrolled in CarbonNOW can receive performance bonuses based on additional carbon capture proven through soil sampling.
Read the full Nature study: “Microbial carbon use efficiency promotes global soil carbon storage”
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